the coat.

you guys may not know this, but drew has a man's blog and he always posts the coolest things on it. most recently he posted this heart warming story of charity.

please turn up the volume, grab a tissue and watch it.

a must read.

my dad sent me The Entitlement Trap to read (still not sure why), but i'm so glad he did! i'm about halfway through and i'm blown away. the concepts are so simple, but among the chaos for everyday life we forget to teach our children basic financial, responsibility, ownership, and goal-setting concepts.

now my kids are only 2 and 4 years old, and i still say this book is a must read. if you have a child living under your roof you should read this book. in fact, this book is probably more helpful for teenagers than little toddlers anyway. if you have offspring or planning to have offspring you should read this book!

and if you've read anything by the eyres, then you know this book with be helpful and beneficial to your parenting strategies. and that's all i have to say about that...

by a hair.

it's virtuosity!

jane eyre.

well i'll be honest, i'm not a huge jane eyre fan...that is until i saw cary fukunaga's dark twisted version of the timeless classic. i LOVED it! it was suspenseful and romantic with a couple surprises along the way. drew didn't love it and fell asleep during the first 10 minutes, but if your hubby's out of town or working late, it's definitely worth a trip to the red box.

let me know if you like it!:)

stop motion.

If you like super cool music, creative videos and stop-motion you'll totally dig this video Lost Things. As a photographer I'm dying to make one of these!

dude.

I really, really, really, wanna see it!



ummmmmm, and this too.

synopsis.

his needs, her needs.

yearning for the living god.

virtuosity.

they're such great choices--i don't know which one to vote for! i might have to just read them all...thanks kelli for hosting and for the great choices.

don't forget to vote :)

january's book.

synopsis.

For the synopsis I just linked the title to the book stores page so you can get all the information straight from the source. The brilliance of its simplicity defies all explanation...I truly amaze myself... now if I could only learn to spell and use the shift key.

heaven is for real.

potato peel pie society.

sarah's key.

Don't for get to vote :-)

the birth order book.

Next on the list...

Is it okay that I covet Dr. Leman’s shirt? I’m just saying the print is really flattering :-)

I’m so excited to read The Birth Order Book that I’m going to make my sisters read it too! Enjoy!

old spice revised.

So you know the famous Old Spice® ads…well, here’s a take promoting BYU’s Library.

Just take the 55 seconds to watch it. I promise at the very least it will make you smile :-)

the synopsis.

Next month's riveting book selections are...

The Lost Symbol

In this stunning follow-up to the global phenomenon The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown demonstrates once again why he is the world's most popular thriller writer.The Lost Symbol is a masterstroke of storytelling—a deadly race through a real-world labyrinth of codes, secrets, and unseen truths . . . all under the watchful eye of Brown's most terrifying villain to date. Set within the hidden chambers, tunnels, and temples of Washington, D.C., The Lost Symbolaccelerates through a startling landscape toward an unthinkable finale.

As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object —artfully encoded with five symbols—is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation . . . one meant to usher its recipient into a long-lost world of esoteric wisdom.

When Langdon's beloved mentor, Peter Solomon—a prominent Mason and philanthropist —is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations—all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.

The Birth Order Book

Firstborn? Only child? Middle child? Baby of the family?

Find out what it means to you, your relationships, and your career.

Do you realize that of the first twenty-three astronauts in space, twenty-one were firstborns and the other two were the only child in their family?

Are you aware that many successful entrepreneurs are middle children?

Is it any surprise that most comedians are the youngest child in their family?

It's all about birth order.

Birth order powerfully influences who you are, whom you marry, the job you choose, and the kind of parent you are. And Dr. Kevin Leman's The Birth Order Book will help you understand yourself, get along better with others, overcome ingrained tendencies you never thought you could get rid of, and be more successful in the workplace. This revised and updated edition of Dr. Leman's classic book includes more than thirty years of experience and research, current examples, and fascinating stories to show how birth order impacts your life.

The Color Code

The key to unlocking the mystery of your personality is to figure out what your motivations are. A jury can't vote to convict a criminal without identifying a motive, but many of us never give a second thought to our own motivations. We should. And The Color Code is just the place to start. With The Color Code, you'll gain incredible insights into who you are and the relationships you have by taking a 45-question personality profile that's fun, simple, and sophisticated. Your responses to this illuminating test will start you out on a thrilling journey of self-discovery that will enable you to: Find out which of four different color-coded personality types - Red, Blue, White, or Yellow - is your true color; learn what your natural strengths are and how you can enhance them to get what you want out of life and your relationships; learn about your natural limitations - ones you may never have been aware of - and how you can overcome them; discover the career that suits your personality; and read the personality colors of other people in your life and learn the "dos" and "don'ts" of developing positive connections with them.

Be sure to vote! :)

hunger games trailer.

It's gonna be goooooood...



Here's a bit of the cast...

 Katniss

 Peeta

 Gale

 Haymitch

Primrose

outliers.

Be sure to read it before October! It's going to be a good one :)

october's book selections.

The Outliers

In the past decade, Malcolm Gladwell has written three books that have radically changed how we understand our world and ourselves: The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers. Regarded by many as the most gifted and influential author and journalist in America today, Gladwell has the rare ability to connect with audiences of tremendously varied interests. There are over 10 million copies of his books in print.

Now, Gladwell's landmark investigations into the world around us are collected together for the first time. Beautifully repackaged and redesigned, with newly added illustrations throughout each book, COLLECTED is a perfect treasury of prose and provocation for Gladwell fans old and new.

Glass Castle

Millions of readers have been transformed by Jeannette Walls’s award-winning memoir of resilience amid a deeply dysfunctional childhood. When sober, Jeannette’s brilliant and charismatic father captured his children’s imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn’t want to responsibility of raising a family.

The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way to New York. Their parents followed them, choosing to be homeless even as their children prospered. The Glass Castle is truly astonishing and poised to stand the test of time.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Lily is haunted by memories–of who she once was, and of a person, long gone, who defined her existence. She has nothing but time now, as she recounts the tale of Snow Flower, and asks the gods for forgiveness.In nineteenth-century China, when wives and daughters were foot-bound and lived in almost total seclusion, the women in one remote Hunan county developed their own secret code for communication: nu shu (“women’s writing”). Some girls were paired with laotongs, “old sames,” in emotional matches that lasted throughout their lives. They painted letters on fans, embroidered messages on handkerchiefs, and composed stories, thereby reaching out of their isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments.With the arrival of a silk fan on which Snow Flower has composed for Lily a poem of introduction in nu shu, their friendship is sealed and they become “old sames” at the tender age of seven. As the years pass, through famine and rebellion, they reflect upon their arranged marriages, loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their lifelong friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a brilliantly realistic journey back to an era of Chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful. With the period detail and deep resonance of Memoirs of a Geisha, this...

the help.

So yeah, I'm totally stoked to see it!

cinna.

Okay, Lenny Kravitz was not who I was picturing for The Hunger Games’ Cinna at all, but I think it’s a perfect fit, yes?

it's the uglies!

i love cats.

This doesn't have anything to do with books, but I laughed so hard I literally cried. My hope is that you will too.

the synopsis.

I’m late posting, but I have A LOT of really great excuses.

My computer crashed.

Our shelves in the garage nearly collapsed.

I got a new calling.

We’re renovating the bathroom—sort of.

We have family in town.


I've been busy editing photos.


I’m pretty sure my kid is a cross breed of half pure angel and half wild animal.

AND my dog ate my homework!

Okay, I don't have a dog, but I could come up with a plethora more of excuse. However, instead of boring you with my lame attempt to justify my tardiness, I’ll just get on with the good stuff, okay?

Here are the selections for our next book…

Tangerine 
Though legally blind, Paul Fisher can see what others cannot. He can see that his parents' constant praise of his brother, Erik, the football star, is to cover up something that is terribly wrong. But no one listens to Paul—until his family moves to Tangerine. In this Florida town, weird is normal: Lightning strikes at the same time every day, a sinkhole swallows a local school, and Paul the geek finds himself adopted into the toughest group around: the soccer team at his middle school.

Maybe this new start in Tangerine will help Paul finally see the truth about his past—and will give him the courage to face up to his terrifying older brother.

The Uglies 
Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.


But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world -- and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

The Undomestic Goddess 
Workaholic attorney Samantha Sweeting has just done the unthinkable. She s made a mistake so huge, it will wreck any chance of a partnership.

Going into utter meltdown, she walks out of her London office, gets on a train, and ends up in the middle of nowhere. Asking for directions at a big, beautiful house, she’s mistaken for an interviewee and finds herself being offered a job as housekeeper. Her employers have no idea they’ve hired a lawyer and Samantha has no idea how to work the oven. She can’t sew on a button, bake a potato, or get the #@%# ironing board to open. How she takes a deep breath and begins to cope and finds love is a story as delicious as the bread she learns to bake. But will her old life ever catch up with her? And if it does will she want it back?

Be sure to vote!

and the winner...

....by a landslide, is The Help!

like the deserts miss the rain.

Sorry I’ve been gone. I was out of town, and then sick, and then our hard drive crash! AHHHHH! Anyway, I don’t want to bore you with excuses, I just wanted to say I’m so sad I miss our last discussion....like the deserts miss the rain…(hey, isn’t that a song?)...and i miss you, yeah, like the deserts miss the rain...

Back on topic!

Here's the synopsis for next month’s book choices. Be sure to vote!

THE HELPBe prepared to meet three unforgettable women:

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone. Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken. Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town...

THE FRIDAY NIGHT KNITTING CLUBThe New York Times bestselling sensation that's "Steel Magnolias set in Manhattan" (USA Today)-now in paperback. Juggling the demands of her yarn shop and single-handedly raising a teenage daughter has made Georgia Walker grateful for her Friday Night Knitting Club. Her friends are happy to escape their lives too, even for just a few hours. But when Georgia's ex suddenly reappears, demanding a role in their daughter's life, her whole world is shattered. Luckily, Georgia's friends are there, sharing their own tales of intimacy, heartbreak, and miracle making. And when the unthinkable happens, these women will discover that what they've created isn't just a knitting club: it's a sisterhood.

THE UNDOMESTIC GODDESSWorkaholic attorney Samantha Sweeting has just done the unthinkable. She s made a mistake so huge, it ll wreck any chance of a partnership.

Going into utter meltdown, she walks out of her London office, gets on a train, and ends up in the middle of nowhere. Asking for directions at a big, beautiful house, she s mistaken for an interviewee and finds herself being offered a job as housekeeper. Her employers have no idea they ve hired a lawyer and Samantha has no idea how to work the oven. She can t sew on a button, bake a potato, or get the #@%# ironing board to open. How she takes a deep breath and begins to cope and finds love is a story as delicious as the bread she learns to bake.But will her old life ever catch up with her? And if it does will she want it back?

the votes are in.

I actually didn't vote for it, but I'm really, really excited!!!

Chains should be really good:)

I thought I'd also let you all know I use this :)  more than any normal person should. So just assume that I'm always :) and i'll try to cut back on the :)

okay?:)

Man, I did it again!...this may take a while.

the synopsis.

Thanks for another great book group, Michelle. Your home is absolutely lovely!

Alright everyone, I updated the new synopsis list for our next book. Look it over.

Be sure to vote.

You have one week.

Or else…

(okay there’s no or else, but please vote. I promise it will be fun—it will be the highlight of your week, for sure!)

TANGERINE
Though legally blind, Paul Fisher can see what others cannot. He can see that his parents' constant praise of his brother, Erik, the football star, is to cover up something that is terriblywrong. But no one listens to Paul—until his family moves to Tangerine. In this Florida town, weird is normal: Lightning strikes at the same time every day, a sinkhole swallows a local school, and Paul the geek finds himself adopted into the toughest group around: the soccer team at his middle school.

Maybe this new start in Tangerine will help Paul finally see the truth about his past—and will give him the courage to face up to his terrifying older brother.

CHAINS

As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight...for freedom. Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel. When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom.

WALK TWO MOONS

Thirteen-year-old Salamanca Tree Hiddle, proud of her country roots and the "Indian-ness in her blood," travels from Ohio to Idaho with her eccentric grandparents. Along the way, she tells them of the story of Phoebe Winterbottom, who received mysterious messages, who met a "potential lunatic," and whose mother disappeared.

Beneath Phoebe's stories Salamanca's own story and that of her mother, who left on April morning for Idaho, promising to return before the tulips bloomed. Sal's mother has not, however, returned, and the trip to Idaho takes on a growing urgency as Salamanca hopes to get to Idaho in time for her mother's birthday and bring her back, despite her father's warning that she is fishing in the air.

and the winner is...

The Screwtape Letters!

Be sure to get a copy for the month of April.

Happy reading everyone!:)

the synopsis.

Just in case you’re having trouble voting on April's book…

THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS
Screwtape is an experienced devil. His nephew Wormwood is just beginning his demonic career and has been assigned to secure the damnation of a young man who has just become a Christian. In this humorous exchange, C. S. Lewis delves into moral questions about good v. evil, temptation, repentance, and grace. Through this wonderful tale, the reader emerges with a better knowledge of what it means to live a good, honest life.


THE UGLIESTally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world -- and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.


THE ALCHEMISTPaulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its simplicity and wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an Alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a meditation on the treasures found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is art eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.


Remember when you're voting there are no wrong answers...just listen to your heart. What does it tell you?

three cups of tea.

March's book will be Three Cups of Tea. The inspiring account of one man's campaign to build schools in the most dangerous, remote, and anti-American reaches of Asia.

And thanks to Penny for inviting us all to her lovely home for last tonight’s book group. It was absolutely splendid! And an even bigger thanks to her for not kicking out the free loaders who were eating her strawberries and M&M’s all night long:) Some people just can’t take a hint…

And Kristen wanted me to be sure that the SouthWest Aquatics link was here on the blog for everyone to peruse --heehee;-)

the hunger games.

Last month’s book, The Hunger Games, was such a suspenseful ride that this month we'll be finishing the final two books of the series, Catching Fire and Mockingjay.

Hope you all enjoy them as much as I did!

Oh, and a special thanks goes out to Kristen for hosting our first dicussion. Good friends. Good food. Good book. Good times.

And for anyone looking to brush up on their current events, be sure to click here ;-)